Man Convicted of Killing Daughter Over Xbox Accident

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Man Convicted of Killing Daughter Over Xbox Accident

A Philadelphia man has been convicted of killing his daughter after she pulled on the cords of his Xbox and caused it to fall.

Tyrone Spellman, who also goes by the name of Anwar Salahuddin, was convicted of third-degree murder and child endangerment and faces up to 47 years in prison.

Spellman was accused of pummeling his 17-month-old daughter, Alayiah, after she knocked over his Xbox, cracking her skull several times in the process. Initial reports also indicated that Spellman may have thrown the girl across the room.

Alayiah's mother was sleeping in a nearby room during the incident.Spellman confessed to the crime the day after the girl's death, but later contended that his confession was coerced. Spellman's lawyers argued that he had only confessed to protect the child's mother, but the jury didn't buy it. Spellman originally told police that the baby had fallen off the bed.

An anonymous caller had contacted the Department of Human Services to let them know that Alayiah was in an abusive household, but routine investigations failed to turn up enough evidence to support intervention by authorities.

Although Assistant District Attorney James Berardinelli made a point of mentioning that Spellman "spent six to seven hours a day in there playing Xbox," it seems obvious that this has less to do with a gaming obsession and more to do with a dangerously violent temper left unchecked.Father Kills Daughter Over Xbox Console [Sky News]